Bail, Edge Top PSAC Women's Soccer All-Conference Teams
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has released its women’s soccer all-conference teams, the league announced Thursday afternoon.
All-conference and major award winners are determined by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
In the West, Slippery Rock sophomore Rachel Edge was voted Athlete of the Year. She is the fifth The Rock athlete to claim the award and first since 2007 (Megan McGrath). Edge currently leads the PSAC in points (38) and is tied for the lead in goals (15). She is third in assists (8). Behind Edge’s strong play, The Rock paces the league in goals scored (53) and scoring average (2.789). The sophomore scored a goal in 12 contests, including a stretch of six out of seven matches with a goal (Sep. 8 – Oct. 2). Edge turned in a hat trick in a 4-0 win against Cal U (Oct. 30). She recorded a multi-goal effort in a 6-0 win against Clarion (Oct. 12). In a tightly contested 2-1 win against Mercyhurst (Sep. 21), she had a hand in both goals with an assist and a goal. The Rock advanced to a PSAC Semifinal and will battle East Stroudsburg Friday, Nov. 15 at 12 p.m.
Slippery Rock senior Madison Johnson was tabbed Defensive Athlete of the Year. She is the second Slippery Rock representative to claim the award and first since 2013 (Lauren Impey). Johnson spearheaded a defense that allowed only 15 goals all season; which is the fourth-fewest goals in the PSAC. She logged 90 minutes in 15 of The Rock’s 19 contests thus far. The Rock has produced seven shutouts this season.
Mercyhurst’s Alyssa Otto was selected as Freshman of the Year. It is the first major award for the Lakers in the sport. Otto is tied for second in goals (14) and is fourth in points (31). The freshman turned in four multi-goal efforts, including a hat trick in a 5-0 win against IUP (Nov. 6). Otto impressed after scoring five goals in her first four collegiate games. She notched a pair of goals in a 3-0 win against Gannon (Sep. 18).
Edinboro’s Gary Kagiavas was voted Coach of the Year. It marks the fourth time he has garnered the award and first since 2007. Under his direction, seven Fighting Scots landed on an all-conference team. Edinboro claimed the No. 2 seed in the division and advanced to a PSAC Semifinal following a 2-1 win over Mercyhurst Tuesday. The Fighting Scots will battle West Chester Friday at 2:30 p.m. Edinboro enters the contest with an 11-5-3 record. It is the 13th time the Fighting Scots have accumulated 10-or-more wins.
In the East, West Chester senior Jenny Bail was selected as Athlete of the Year. It marks the seventh time that West Chester has received recognition for the award while Bail becomes the fifth Golden Ram to accomplish the feat. Bail tallied a pair of goals in a 3-0 win against Lock Haven (Sep. 21) before scoring the match-winning goal against Kutztown in a 2-1 win (Oct. 12). Bail landed on her third all-conference team in her career. Bail and the Golden Rams advanced to a PSAC Semifinal and will battle Edinboro at 2:30 p.m Friday in Slippery Rock.
Bloomsburg junior Jenna Hawkins was named Defensive Athlete of the Year. It marks the first time a Husky has won the award. Hawkins has been a force at goal for Bloomsburg while allowing a league-low in goals (7) and paces the conference in shutouts (11). She has posted a career-high 60 saves and boasts a 16-2-1 record in 2019.
East Stroudsburg’s Melissa Herrera was tabbed Freshman of the Year. She is the third Warrior to claim the award and first since 1997 (Justina Woolf). The freshman made a splash in her third collegiate game after recording a hat trick in a 3-0 win against Kutztown (Sep. 14). She scored a goal and turned in an assist in a 3-0 win against Mansfield (Sep. 21). Herrera bested Mansfield again (Oct. 23) after scoring a goal and dishing out two assists. She helped East Stroudsburg upset Bloomsburg in a PSAC Quarterfinal in overtime Tuesday and will look to repeat the effort in a semi against Slippery Rock Friday, Nov. 15 at 12 p.m.
Bloomsburg’s Matt Haney was named Coach of the Year. It marks the first time that Haney has received the award. The Huskies entered the week as the top team in the NCAA DII Atlantic Region Poll and were ranked No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. Bloomsburg won the Eastern Division while Haney has tied a school record for most wins over a two-year span (33).
Six athletes are appearing on their third all-conference team, respectively. Kutztown senior Emily Zwiercan is a three-time all-conference first-team representative.
A full list of honorees is below.
PSAC Women’s Soccer Eastern Division First-Team All-Conference
| Position |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown / Previous |
| Defense |
Syd Hicks+ |
Sr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Jackson, N.J. / Notre Dame |
| Defense |
Paige Mancini*+ |
Jr. |
Millersville |
Northumberland, Pa. / Shikellamy |
| Defense |
Kristina Miller* |
Sr. |
Kutztown |
Lansdale, Pa. / North Penn |
| Defense |
Tayah Naudascher++* |
Sr. |
Bloomsburg |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Archbishop Ryan |
| Forward |
Kay Liebl*^ |
Sr. |
Millersville |
Ephrata, Pa. / Ephrata |
| Forward |
Nicole Varano |
So. |
Bloomsburg |
Mt. Carmel, Pa. / Mt. Carmel |
| Forward |
Hannah Zach |
Jr. |
West Chester |
Doylestown, Pa. / Central Bucks East |
| Forward |
Emily Zwiercan** |
Sr. |
Kutztown |
Reinholds, Pa. / Cocalico |
| Midfield |
Jenny Bail^^ |
Sr. |
West Chester |
Carlisle, Pa. / Cumberland Valley |
| Midfield |
Michelle Belcher |
Fr. |
Millersville |
Norton, Ma. / Norton |
| Midfield |
Lauren Hoelke |
Jr. |
Bloomsburg |
Blackwood, N.J. / Highland Regional |
| Midfield |
Haley Skove^+ |
Jr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Lawrenceville, N.J. / Notre Dame |
| Goalie |
Jenna Hawkins+ |
Jr. |
Bloomsburg |
Fleetwood, Pa. / Fleetwood |
PSAC Women’s Soccer Eastern Division Second Team All-Conference
| Position |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown / Previous |
| Defense |
Lauren Downey+ |
Jr. |
Millersville |
Hauppage, N.Y. / Hauppage |
| Defense |
Natalie Holmes^ |
Jr. |
Bloomsburg |
Laurel, Md. / Archbishop Spalding |
| Defense |
Jesse Magee |
Jr. |
West Chester |
Bucks County, Pa. / Council Rock South |
| Defense |
Jessica Woodbyrne |
Sr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Stoney Creek, Ontario / Davis & Elkins |
| Forward |
Marah Foltz |
Sr. |
Lock Haven |
Mountville, Pa. |
| Forward |
Melissa Herrera |
Fr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Mountain Top, Pa. / Crestwood |
| Forward |
Jules Sicker |
Sr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Rockville Centre, N.Y. / Oceanside |
| Forward |
Izzy Weigel |
Sr. |
Shippensburg |
Chambersburg, Pa. / Bridgewater |
| Midfield |
Madison Baxter |
Sr. |
West Chester |
Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown East |
| Midfield |
Savanna Harrison |
Jr. |
Kutztown |
Perkasie, Pa. / Pennridge |
| Midfield |
Gabby Kane |
So. |
Kutztown |
Royersford, Pa. / Spring-Ford |
| Midfield |
Maggie McDonald |
Jr. |
Bloomsburg |
Alexandria, Va. / West Potomac |
| Midfield# |
K.K. O’Donnell |
So. |
Shippensburg |
Limerick, Pa. / Spring-Ford |
| Goalie |
Reagan Kolinski |
Fr. |
Millersville |
Derry, Nh. / Pinkerton Academy |
Eastern Division Athlete of the Year: Jenny Bail, West Chester
Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Year: Jenna Hawkins, Bloomsburg
Eastern Division Freshman of the Year: Melissa Herrera, East Stroudsburg
Eastern Division Coach of the Year: Matt Haney, Bloomsburg
PSAC Women’s Soccer Western Division First-Team All-Conference
| Position |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown / Previous |
| Defense |
Taryn Baxter |
Fr. |
Mercyhurst |
Spokane, Wash. / East Valley High |
| Defense |
Cameron Bujnoski |
Jr. |
Edinboro |
Erie, Pa. / McDowell |
| Defense |
Madison Johnson^ |
Sr. |
Slippery Rock |
North Olmsted, Ohio / Cleveland United |
| Defense |
Brooke Riefenstahl |
Fr. |
Slippery Rock |
Hellertown, Pa. / Saucon Valley |
| Forward |
Danielle Chatten |
Sr. |
Edinboro |
Wheatfield, N.Y. / Niagara Wheatfield |
| Forward |
Rachel Edge |
So. |
Slippery Rock |
Pine Grove, Pa. / Pine Grove |
| Forward |
Alyssa Otto |
Fr. |
Mercyhurst |
Bridgeport, Ohio / Saint Clairsville |
| Forward |
Mahogany Willis+ |
So. |
IUP |
Pottstown, Pa. / Owen J. Roberts |
| Midfield |
Maya Bauer |
Sr. |
Mercyhurst |
Westlake, Ohio / Westlake |
| Midfield |
Sidney Dobbins |
Sr. |
Edinboro |
Liverpool, N.Y. / Bishop Grimes |
| Midfield |
Katie Kimmich+ |
Sr. |
Seton Hill |
Export, Pa. / Franklin Regional |
| Midfield |
Jordyn Minda* |
So. |
Slippery Rock |
South Park, Pa. / South Park |
| Goalie |
Brigid Stermel |
Sr. |
Clarion |
Philadelphia, Pa. / John W. Hallahan |
PSAC Women’s Soccer Western Division Second-Team All-Conference
| Position |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown / Previous |
| Defense |
Maggie Fragapane |
Jr. |
Edinboro |
Avon Lake, Ohio / Magnificat |
| Defense |
Lindsey Friello |
Jr. |
Gannon |
Erie, Pa. / Mercyhurst Prep |
| Defense |
Alexis Johnson |
Fr. |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin |
| Defense |
Alexis Moyer+ |
So. |
Clarion |
Apollo, Pa. / Kiski Area |
| Forward |
Italia Biondi^ |
Sr. |
Seton Hill |
Trafford, Pa. / Penn Trafford/Duquesne |
| Forward |
Abby LaDuke |
Jr. |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe |
| Forward |
Rebecca Manns |
Jr. |
Edinboro |
West Mifflin, Pa. / West Mifflin Area |
| Forward |
Kayla Swope |
Fr. |
Slippery Rock |
Dillsburg, Pa. / Northern York |
| Midfield |
Jenna Derbis |
Jr. |
Edinboro |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Hills |
| Midfield |
Emily Esser |
So. |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Camp Hill, Pa. / Cedar Cliff |
| Midfield |
Shannon McIntyre |
Jr. |
Slippery Rock |
Westlake, Ohio / Magnificat |
| Midfield |
Amber Thomas |
Fr. |
Mercyhurst |
Bedford, Pa. / Bedford High |
| Goalie# |
Anna Voelker |
So. |
Edinboro |
Butler, Pa. / Butler |
| Goalie# |
Emma Yoder |
So. |
Slippery Rock |
Marietta, Ga. / Forest Hills Central |
Western Division Athlete of the Year: Rachel Edge, Slippery Rock
Western Division Defensive Athlete of the Year: Madison Johnson, Slippery Rock
Western Division Freshman of the Year: Alyssa Otto, Mercyhurst
Western Division Coach of the Year: Gary Kagiavas, Edinboro
* Indicates previous All-PSAC first team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC second team selection
+ Indicates previous All-PSAC third team selection
# Indicates tie